Thursday, December 6, 2012

I have a small obsession with all things related to birds, and feathers are no exception! This was a quick little study of a downy little feather, and I surprised myself with the accuracy of the painting. Charming.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Hooray! I am ready to release the next pattern in the Nine Stones Needlework collection!New England Chapel is a wonderful cross stitch pattern taken from a series of paintings I have done of charming churches and barns up in Maine and Massachusetts. I have charts ready to ship for the holidays!

More will be coming in January! If you would like to purchase any cross stitch patterns from me, please visit www.ninestonesneedlework.com or my etsy site- etsy.com/shop/ninestonesneedlework

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I wanted to take a minute to say how thankful I am for each of you and all of your support through all of my art posts and this new adventure in cross stitch world! I am truly grateful and could not have gotten where I am without each of you.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family.

I will leave you with a pic of me and a very special bunny- no real reason, except that Binx is so darn cute!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

I just had to show you guys both sides! They are so full of beautiful materials- linen, cotton floss, seed beads and even needles! If you would like to purchase, you can email me- kimberly@kimberlybecker.com, you can go to www.keepsakeneedlearts.com and look at the 6 patterns they have for sale, or you can go to my Etsy site- www.etsy.com/shop/ninestonesneedlework.
I have "Geranium" (shown above), "Paris Window", "Cherries" and "Twin Pears" for sale through me. Keepsake Needlearts has a few more as well.
One more thing- I will have a booth again this year at the RISD alumni sale-Providence, RI. on December 8.
More on that to come in a future post!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

I have been saying this for a long time now. When I need to decompress, I stitch. Stitching, for me, is a form of meditation. I am not good at rhythmic breathing, "om"ing, or clearing my mind on queue, but I can lose myself in my stitching. Martha Stewart Living has an article in this month's issue (November 2012) about just this.

In the article, they interview a psychologist- Robert Reiner, and I quote him here- "Crafting can decrease your heart rate and blood pressure and even improve sleep. Your breathing takes on a regular pattern, which shuts down the body's anxiety producing fight-or-flight response."

I totally agree! The article goes on to talk about how crafting keeps you present, and in the moment so you can't worry about the future.

Monday, November 12, 2012

I am in the studio again after a bit of a break for the election insanity as well as giving my full attention to the needs of Nine Stones. I will be posting new patterns- three of them- over the next month or two, and cannot wait to show them off to all of you!

In the meantime, I have been painting orchids!

I am also happy to announce that most of the new work I am posting is available for sale- paypal buttons will be attached! Remember, the purchase is for a small unframed watercolor painting.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

I am participating in an online Needle Arts show starting today and going through the weekend.This is a clever concept- a trade show without travel!

The way it works is that the general public can go to the website and browse. If you see something you like, you can go to your local Cross Stitch or Needle Arts shop and ask them to order it for you! This really helps me get known by new shops and you get exactly what you want.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

First of all, for all of my New England followers- the episode of Chronicle will be airing this Friday at 7:30 on WCVB- channel 5!http://www.wcvb.com/chronicle

The other exciting bit of news is that a wonderful blogger has featured my French Knot paintings on her blog- http://www.welovefrenchknots.com I wrote about her blog the other day, but if you go now, you will see the pieces she is showing of mine!

With politics out of the way, I am starting to work in my studio again. The cross stitch business is steady- orders rolling in slowly but surely. I will be introducing the first of three new patterns soon......

In the meantime, I couldn't resist these orchids, and the excuse I always use when I buy flowers is that I am making the purchase to paint them! So here are some paintings.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

It occurs to me that some explanation is necessary when I show cross stitch patterns, French knot paintings, etc.

I choose certain paintings to recreate as cross stitch charts. To make a cross stitch chart I must first have the pattern, which I create with a computer program (and lots of tweaking). I hire a "stitcher" to stitch the pattern for me because you need to check for mistakes in the chart. I also need the piece stitched so I have a photograph of the pattern stitched to put on the front of the chart. (Have I completely confused you yet??). Once all of these steps are done, I can go to the printer and have the final chart printed, which I sell to people to stitch themselves! I also sell kits which are the charts and all of the supplies necessary to finish the pattern- chart, needles, beads, linen, and floss.

So, with all of that information- here is a picture of a piece being stitched by a wonder woman of a stitcher (thank you Marilyn!)

This piece is a New England clapboard church which i first photographed, then painted, and now am making into a cross stitch pattern!

My other love is the French knot work I have been posting about. The French knots I do without a chart- I simply look at the painting as I stitch. However, I am working on adding instructions to the cross stitch charts on how you can use the cross stitch chart to make a French knotted painting as well!

Friday, September 14, 2012

I have just released a new pattern- Pomegranates! This pattern is taken from a commission painting I did for a friend. She had the painting done for her parents for the Christmas Holiday last year.I will be loading it on the website this weekend so you can order a chart soon! Www.ninestonesneedlework.com

Friday, August 17, 2012

We will be heading off to our wonderful annual summer spot in Maine on Monday! It is the definition of pure relaxation- great friends, great lake, big long screen porch looking out over the lake, and lots and lots of coffee, wine, chocolate, books and of course my art supplies!

If I can post from Maine I will, but if not, there will be much to show next week!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

This is very exciting! Not only have the Keepsake Needle Arts folks featured me in their amazing catalog, but they are selling my kits! Now everyone can go online- www.keepsakeneedlearts.com- and order the kits or call them- 1-800-852-7338 and get one! The kits have the fabric, floss, needles, beads and charts necessary to finish a whole project.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

My obsession with architecture continues. I have photographed many barns and churches and houses in Maine. This lovely structure is in Wiscasset, Maine- the self declared "Prettiest village in Maine". It actually is quite pretty!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Two more in the watercolor series ramping up for new cross stitch patterns and more paintings to sell this winter at the RISD Alumni Holiday sale! I got a booth again- woo hoo! And plan to be selling paintings and cross stitch kits!More on the sale in the fall!

Monday, July 30, 2012

I only have a dozen followers on this blog-if you know any stitchers, crafters, or generally cool, hip people, Please forward the link to them and ask if they would join up!

Here is my latest obsession- french knots! I am painting with french knots. I have done this before- and really love it, but it got lost in the shuffle when I started painting more- here's a peak at the look I am achieving!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Another thunderstorm just rolled into town- so wonderful! I love the sound of the rain, the thunder, and the way the air cools- perfectly relaxing.

Here is another watercolor for consideration- maybe a cross stitch chart?

Also- welcome to all of the new folks who liked my Facebook page. Come on over and subscribe to ninestonesneedlework.blogspot.com- just scroll down to the first post and enter your email address in the subscribe box!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

I have always loved architecture. I have a series of drawings done with powdered graphite and lindseed oil done on mylar that translate beautifully into a needlework piece- but I need feedback- what do you think?
Please post a link to your Facebook page or recommend to friends so I can grow my reach with this blog and with the website! Thanks!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

It's funny how everything happens for a reason, mostly. I have run in many small circles (and some big) trying to set up a perfect means of communication with the crafting world, and have finally decided that blogspot is the best method for me.

So, here we go! Sorry for all of the confusion, but I promise, if you subscribe to this blog, you will not be disappointed, redirected, misguided, or overwhelmed with posts! Just the occasional image, thought or update from little me!

Followers

About Me

As a fine artist with interest in stitching and all that it represents (women's work, mending, binding) I have developed a style of art that allows me to combine my formal drawing and painting training along with my desire to layer beautiful fabrics and bind them together through stitches, knots, and beadwork. The stitches are sometimes tiny seed stitches that gather and spread, creating dimension and movement, while other times french knots bring focus and richness to areas of the painting. I find that making marks with stitches adds something more, something more deeply personal, something other media cannot communicate.
If you would like to get in our ouch, please email me at kimberly@kimberlybecker.com